1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fiber filled solar collectors wherein the fibers are coated with a coating for retarding convective flow in the case of a fire.
2. Prior Art
Various intumescent paints have been known in the prior art, and the expansion of such paint when subjected to heat has been known. The paint acts as an insulator. Also, the fact that intumescent paint inherently has lower combustibility than ordinary paint has been known.
In the prior art there have been various solar collector panels used to collect radiant energy, and which are filled with fibrous materials. For example, my own U.S. patent application Ser. No. 958,352, filed Nov. 6, 1978, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,212,292 for SOLAR COLLECTOR shows a very porous fiber solar mat that is used as a solar energy collector. The fiber mat has sufficient porosity so that radiant energy will penetrate deeply into the mat, and when the mat is placed upright along a stud wall, the solar energy penetrates substantially throughout the mat.
Additionally, the use of paint to decorate or provide graphic illustration on solar collector mats is shown in my copending application Ser. No. 874,199, filed Feb. 1, 1978 for a SOLAR COLLECTOR.
Another solar energy absorbing body and collector utilizing a fibrous type collecting mat having energy absorbing surfaces with a random array of interstices is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,119,083, issued Oct. 10, 1978 to Heyen et al. The fibers utilized with the mat shown in the Heyen patent are coated with thermo setting synthetic resins in which highly absorptive fine particles are mixed. However, no mention is made of fire hazards from the "chimney effect" of an upright collector. Heyen et al. does state that the filament, after coating, is fire retardant.
With very fibrous mats such as those used in the solar collectors disclosed herein and in my prior applications, substantially all of the fibers can receive a coating of paint, and thus a sufficient amount of the coating can be placed on the fibers so that substantial portions of the surfaces of all of the fibers are coated.